Review & Giveaway: MURDER AT ROUGH POINT by Alyssa Maxwell

As part of a Blog Tour organized by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, I am happy to tell you about Murder at Rough Point, the latest addition to the  Gilded Newport Mysteries series by Alyssa Maxwell.

Description

In glittering Newport, Rhode Island, status is everything. But despite being a poorer relation to the venerable Vanderbilts, Emma Cross has shaped her own identity—as a reporter and a sleuth.

As the nineteenth century draws to a close, Fancies and Fashion reporter Emma Cross is sent by the Newport Observer to cover an elite house party at Rough Point, a “cottage” owned by her distant cousin Frederick Vanderbilt that has been rented as an artist retreat. To her surprise, the illustrious guests include her estranged Bohemian parents—recently returned from Europe—as well as a variety of notable artists, including author Edith Wharton.

But when one of the artists is discovered dead at the bottom of a cliff, Rough Point becomes anything but a house of mirth. After a second murder, no one is above suspicion—including Emma’s parents. As Newport police detective Jesse Whyte searches for a killer, Emma tries to draw her own conclusions—with the help of Mrs. Wharton. But with so many sketchy suspects, she’ll need to canvas the crime scenes carefully, before the cunning culprit takes her out of the picture next .

Review

I confess to being a fan of both historical fiction and mysteries. This novel combined the two genres – presenting an interesting and enjoyable glimpse into the lifestyle of the Newport elite in the late 19th century.  I suspect that Emma Cross would have been a rarity in her time – proud and independent,  despite her status as a poor relation of the wealthy Vanderbilt family.  The retreat brings her face to face with a bizarre and closely knit gaggle of artists, including her own parents, all of whom seem to have incriminating secrets in their past.  The isolated mansion and a lengthy storm force Emma and all of the suspects to remain together, a circumstance reminiscent of an Agatha Christie mystery. As tensions rise, plot twists and discoveries keep you guessing. I’ll admit I found the pace a bit slow at first, but it improved as the story progressed.  The plot resolved nicely with more than one surprise.   All in all, a good old-fashioned mystery.

Note: Although this book is part of a series, it can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone. This was my first time reading anything by this author.

FTC Disclosure:   I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of this blog tour.  This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

Giveaway

Enter a Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a print copy of Murder at Rough Point from the author.

About the Author

Alyssa Maxwell has worked in publishing as an assistant editor and a ghost writer, but knew from an early age that being a novelist was what she wanted most. Growing up in New England and traveling to Great Britain fueled a passion for history, while a love of puzzles of all kinds drew her to the mystery genre. She lives in South Florida in the current year, but confesses to spending most of her time in the Victorian, Edwardian, and post WWI eras. In addition to fantasizing about wearing Worth gowns while strolling manor house gardens, she loves to watch BBC and other period productions and sip tea in the afternoons.

Author Links

• Twitter – https://twitter.com/Alyssa__Maxwell
• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/gildednewport/
• Webpage – http://www.alyssamaxwell.com/
• GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7163135.Alyssa_Maxwell

Purchase Links

Amazon       B&N         INDIE BOUND

Guest Post & Giveaway: JUST THE FACTS, MA’AM by Ellen Mansoor Collier

As part of a Blog Tour organized by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours,  I am pleased to have Ellen Mansoor Collier as my guest today as she celebrates the release of VAMPS, VILLAINS AND VAUDEVILLE – the fourth book in the  Jazz Age Mystery Series.  Today she shares her thoughts and on writing historical novels.

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JUST THE FACTS, MA’AM  by Ellen Mansoor Collier

I’ll admit, I was never much of a history buff in high school or college. What did Ancient Egypt or the Civil War have to do with my daily life of classes, jobs,  Student Council, football games, parties or dances? Although my mother was a World History teacher, I wasn’t at all interested until I managed an antiques shop after college between journalism jobs.

My bosses were two antiques dealers and decorators who took me on buying trips and taught me about different styles and period design. Antiques gave me a visual peek into the past: I could see the way people lived, touch their clothing, furniture, understand their habits and trends. Suddenly, for me, history came alive.

That glimpse led to a fascination with the Roaring Twenties. I loved almost everything about the 1920s:  the style, the carefree spirihere t, interior design, the flowing flapper clothes and jewelry, the lingo, the music. Not only did the right to vote in 1920 allow women’s emancipation, the “Dry Decade” became an era of invention and innovation, the “flaming youth’s” rebellion against the stuffy old Victorian mores, leading to the giddy excitement of the Jazz Age.

I tried to convey that sense of freedom and “anything goes” attitude in my soft-boiled Jazz Age mystery series, through the POV of my main character Jasmine (“Jazz”) Cross, a society reporter who longs to cover hard news in a male-dominated world. Her ambition is thwarted by her old-fashioned editors, yet she’s determined to find ways around the newspaper’s rules and restrictions. I created Jazz as a flapper version of real-life Victorian journalist Nellie Bly, and set the novels during Prohibition in 1920s Galveston, Texas, interweaving actual gangsters, events and local landmarks into the plots.

While researching FLAPPERS, I became intrigued when I found out that Al Capone tried to muscle in on Galveston’s rival gangs, the Beach and Downtown gangs. I included this fun fact in the preface to show the powerful reach and reputation of Galveston’s gangsters, little known outside of Texas.

As a journalist, I prefer reality-based stories because I feel like I’m learning something new while I’m reading and researching. I enjoyed watching old silent movies, period dramas and documentaries, especially noir films featuring gangsters and mobsters, noting the settings (furniture, lamps, clothing, music, etc.) and jotted down expressions and bits of conversation. (True, I’m guilty of overusing Jazz Age sayings so I included a glossary of slang in the back of my novels.)

Since I wrote about real people, politicians (and gangsters), I had to be careful not to include anything too offensive or incriminating since much of the information was based on legend and largely undocumented.

What’s interesting is that the gangsters and bootleggers of yesteryear mirror today’s drug dealers, gangs and cartels. Still, I learned a lot about organized crime, politics and Prohibition, and how often their worlds intermingled.

History may repeat itself, but fiction makes it fresh and new. Enjoy!

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Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville
A historical Jazz Age mystery inspired by real-life Galveston gangs and local landmarks.

In 1920s Galveston, society reporter Jazz Cross is in for a surprise when she attends a traveling vaudeville show with her beau, Prohibition Agent James Burton, and discovers that an old flame acts in the production. That night, they find a stabbing victim behind the Oasis — her half-brother Sammy’s speakeasy — who’s identified as an actor in the troupe. When the victim disappears and later turns up dead, Jazz must help prove that Sammy wasn’t the killer.

Meanwhile, a ring of jewel thieves are turning up all over town, robbing rich tourists of their precious gems. After a second vaudeville actor is found dead, Jazz discovers that the events behind the scenes are much more interesting than the outdated acts onstage.

To make matters worse, Sammy’s old nemesis demands that he settles a score and forces him into yet another illegal scheme. Can Jazz help solve the murders and prove her brother’s innocence—so he can escape the Downtown Gang for good?

Giveaway
Click here to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win an e-copy of a Jazz Age Mystery.

About Ellen Mansoor Collier

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer and editor whose articles and essays have been published in a variety of national magazines. Several of her short stories have appeared in Woman’s World. During college summers, she worked as a reporter for a Houston community newspaper and as a cocktail waitress, both jobs providing background experience for her Jazz Age mysteries.

A flapper at heart, she’s worked as a magazine editor/writer, and in advertising and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism and served on UTmost, the college magazine and as president of WICI (Women in Communications).

FLAPPERS, FLASKS AND FOUL PLAY is her first novel, published in 2012, followed by the sequel, BATHING BEAUTIES, BOOZE AND BULLETS, released in May 2013. She lives in Houston with her husband and Chow mutts, and visits Galveston whenever possible.

“When you grow up in Houston, Galveston becomes like a second home. I had no idea this sleepy beach town had such a wild and colorful past until I began doing research, and became fascinated by the legends and stories of the 1920s. Finally I had to stop researching and start writing, trying to imagine a flapper’s life in Galveston during Prohibition.”

Author Links:

Website: http://www.flapperfinds.com/
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6452242.Ellen_Mansoor_Collier
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/artdecodame/flappers/
Purchase Link

Other books by this author:

• FLAPPERS, FLASKS AND FOUL PLAY
• BATHING BEAUTIES, BOOZE AND BULLETS
• GOLD DIGGERS, GAMBLERS AND GUNS

You can find all her books on Amazon.

Book Review & Giveaway: BIRDS OF PASSAGE by Joe Giordano

Today, as part of a Blog Tour organized by Italy Book Tours,  I am happy to introduce you to Birds of Passage by Joe Giordano.

Book Description:
What turns the gentle mean and the mean brutal? The thirst for wealth? The demand for respect? Vying for a woman? Birds of Passage recalls the Italian immigration experience at the turn of the twentieth-century when New York’s streets were paved with violence and disappointment.

Leonardo Robustelli leaves Naples in 1905 to seek his fortune. Carlo Mazzi committed murder and escaped. Azzura Medina is an American of Italian parents. She’s ambitious but strictly controlled by her mother. Leonardo and Carlo vie for her affection.

Azzura, Leonardo, and Carlo confront con men, Tammany Hall politicians, the longshoreman’s union, Camorra clans, Black Hand extortion, and the Tombs prison.

Buy the book here:  Amazon

My Review:
This book provided an interesting glimpse into the immigrant experience in the early 1900s, when so many young Italians came to America seeking a better life or to escape their pasts.  The two main characters, Leonardo and Carlo, are from the same place, but from different economic classes. These young men were willing to endure long voyages under horrible conditions and undertake almost any kind of work to get by.  They came to America for different reasons, yet soon find their lives intertwined as they try to survive.

Birds of Passage describes a time when corruption, violence and racketeering were a part of daily life. It is clear from the detailed descriptions of tenement life, the clashes between the Italian clan-based gangs and  between different ethnic groups (the Irish in particular), the labour union issues, and more, that the author thoroughly researched the period.  It was an informative and enjoyable read.

FTC Disclosure:   I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of this blog tour.  This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

Giveaway!
Enter for a chance to win 1 of 3 copies of Birds of Passage (print Book USA & Canada; ebook international).
Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:
Joe Giordano was born in Brooklyn. His father and grandparents immigrated to New York from Naples. Joe and his wife, Jane have lived in Greece, Brazil, Belgium and the Netherlands. They now live in Texas with their shih tzu Sophia. Joe’s stories have appeared in more than sixty magazines including Bartleby Snopes, The Newfound Journal, and The Summerset Review.

Connect with the author:   Website  ~   Twitter  ~   Facebook

Book Review & Giveaway: A SONG FOR BELLAFORTUNA by Vincent LeCoco

It’s time for a change of pace. As part of a Blog Tour organized by Italy Book Tours,  I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing A Song for Bellafortuna by Vincent B. “Chip” LoCoco.

Book Description (from Amazon):

A Song for Bellafortuna is an inspirational Italian historical fiction novel concerning a young man’s desire to free his Sicilian village from the domination of one family’s long reign.

For years, the beautiful, yet secluded, hilltop village of Bellafortuna, Sicily, was a great producer of wine and olive oil. The entire village prospered. However, after the arrival of the Vasaio family, production dwindles and the villagers soon find themselves in crushing debt to the Vasaios. Only one family in the village remains outside the control of the Vasaios, but the reason haunts Antonio Sanguinetti every day of his life. Antonio is determined to erase this legacy by offering financial and emotional support to his fellow villagers. He introduces them to the choral song from Verdi’s opera, Nabucco, which becomes the rallying cry for the villagers and offers them hope for a better life.

When Antonio’s only son, Giuseppe, discovers his family’s past, he becomes determined to take on the Vasaios and remove them from power. Led by the young Giuseppe, a plan is hatched that could result in either complete freedom for the villagers, or if it fails, forever solidifying the Vasaios’ control. Find out what happens in A Song for Bellafortuna, a sweeping epic historical fiction tale of love, drama, sacrifice, and redemption, set among the beautiful landscape of Sicily.

My Review

Without a doubt, my decision to read this book was prompted in part by its gorgeous cover and the fact that my paternal grandfather (by chance, also named Giuseppe) grew up in a small village in Southern Italy.

In A  Song for Bellafortuna, the author’s paints a vivid picture of a picturesque hilltop village surrounded by olive groves and vineyards.  The charm of a time when horse carts were the mode of transportation shined through.

From the opening pages of the story,  I was drawn into young Giuseppe Sanguinetti’s story.  Even as a young boy he shows compassion for the less fortunate.  Giuseppe is quick to recognize the injustice of  the Vasaio family’s control over the villagers.  The  residents of Bellafortuna are decent, hard-working people, yet many live in squalor. An idealist at heart, Giuseppe is determined to find a way to bring about change.

As a music lover, I could relate to Giuseppe’s anguish when faced with the possibility of how his actions might affect his fellow villagers.  To quote John Paul Richter, “Music is moonlight in the gloomy night of life.”  For the villagers, music is more than entertainment, it gives them hope and the strength to go on.

The author has great way of telling a story. The historical events of the time period and the fictional aspects of the story are woven together well, though some suspension of disbelief is required on the part of the reader.  The book is very well written, although I do think that some of the descriptive passages could be more concise.

A  Song for Bellafortuna was a very enjoyable read that ends on a positive note. Music can inspire change. As I turned those final pages, I was sorry to see Giuseppe’s story come to an end.

FTC Disclosure:   I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of this blog tour.  This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

A Song for Bellafortuna is available on Amazon (Ebook, Paperback, AudioBook). Check out the book trailer.

Meet the author:  

Award winning and bestselling author, Vincent B. “Chip” LoCoco, lives in New Orleans.
His first novel, Tempesta’s Dream – A Story of Love, Friendship and Opera, became an Amazon bestselling novel and was awarded the 2014 Pinnacle Achievement Award in Historical Fiction. Amazon also has named his book as a Top Rated Novel in Italian Historical Fiction.
His most recent novel, A Song for Bellafortuna, was shortlisted in the William Faulkner – William Wisdom Competition. He is an estate planning attorney in New Orleans, where he lives with his wife and two children.

Connect with the author:    Website     Twitter    Facebook

Giveaway!
Enter for a chance to win 1 of 5 print or Kindle copies of “A Song for Bellafortuna” (open to USA & Canada):
Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway